Botrychium tenebrosum — swamp moonwort
![Leaf: Botrychium tenebrosum. ~ By Gordon Morrison. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-tenebrosum-le-gmorrison.jpg)
![Sori: Botrychium tenebrosum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-tenebrosum-so-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Plant form: Botrychium tenebrosum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-tenebrosum-ha-ahaines-b.jpg)
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Facts
Swamp moonwort is a rare inhabitant of swamps, streambanks and shaded forests. This species is closely related to least moonwort (Botrychium simplex), but is more likely to inhabit forested wetlands, while least moonwort is more often found in open fields, shores and banks.
Habitat
Forests, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
-
Leaves
- Features of leaves
- there are no special features on the leaves
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- edges of wetlands
- forests
- shores of rivers or lakes
- swamps
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- extremely rare to rare (S-rank: S1S2)
- New Hampshire
- unrankable (S-rank: SU), Ind (code: Ind)
- Rhode Island
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), concern (uncertain) (code: C*)
- Vermont
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
13. Botrychium tenebrosum A.A. Eat. NC
swamp moonwort. Botrychium simplex E. Hitch. var. tenebrosum (A.A. Eat.) Clausen • CT, MA, ME, NH, VT. Swamps, streambanks, shaded forests.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Botrychium simplex:
- stalk to the vegetative portion of plant inserted usually near base of plant, and lowest pair of lobes or leaflets on the vegetative portion of the plant obviously larger than the next apical pair (vs. B. tenebrosum, with the stalk to vegetative portion of plant inserted high on plant, usually at or above the mid-point, and lowest pair of lobes or leaflets on the vegetative portion of the plant not obviously larger than the next apical pair).
Synonyms
- Botrychium simplex E. Hitch. var. tenebrosum (A.A. Eat.) Clausen